Not enough queens to too many queens?

[romduck]

I went away for a week and came back to find two hive queenless, no eggs.

I bought two queens and when I went to install them, one hive had apparently had a couple of eggs that I had missed and had some emergency queens cells going.

Should I still put the purchased, mated queen in? Should I clear out the cells? Should I install the mated queen and let the bees sort it out?

Any thoughts? It was a tough one to search for as a topic. I hadn't found anything already posted.

[jaseemtp]

If it were me, I would knock down the emergency queen cells and add the purchased mated queen to the hive.  She is there bought and paid for, mated and ready to rock and roll.  The ones in the cells have to emerge, hang out for a bit and then go out, mate and hopefull return safely.

[romduck]

Thanks. I wasn't sure the best way to hedge my bets. I haven't ever had problems with hives accepting queens, but there's always a first time.

[JP]

Ditto! They're mated and paid for, use them!


...JP

[Michael Bush]

Or set up some nucs and see how they build up...

[joebrown]

If you have some nucs I would do as MB said and make a few nucs. There is still plenty of time for them to replace the few frames you remove! Plus you will have a nuc with a queen incase something happens to your new ones.

[sc-bee]

If you have some nucs I would do as MB said and make a few nucs. There is still plenty of time for them to replace the few frames you remove! Plus you will have a nuc with a queen in case something happens to your new ones.

Not sure but I think he meant leave the cell in the old hive and pull nuc for new queen. The cell will be with the stronger hive more time for it to hatch, mate and start laying. Nuc will have better chance of building up with new queen- already mated and ready to lay.

I could be wrong, I have been more than once ;)

[joebrown]

You could do it many ways but the way you described would best IMO.